Cord retaining device



Dec. 22, 1959 P. H. WALLER 2,918,228

CORD RETAINING DEVICE Original Filed Nov. 8, 1954 INVENTOR. Phi/1 b H Wad/er- United States Patent CORD RETAINING DEVICE Philip H. Waller, San Francisco, Calif.

Original application November 8, 1954, Serial No. 467,498, now PatentN'o. 2,788,085, dated April 9,

' 1957. Divided and. thisapplication March 1, 1957, Serial No. 643,291

This invention relates generally to cord retaining devices and more particularly to cord retaining devices for use with electrical appliances.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 467,498, filed November 8, 1954, now US. Patent No. 2,788,085, granted April 9, 1957.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel cord retaining device for storing excess power cord.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cord retaining device of the above character which is particularly adapted for use with electrical appliances.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a cord retaining device incorporating the present invention mounted on the lower portion of an ash tray.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view partly in cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 1.

In general, the present invention consists of a novel cord retaining device which is an integral part of an electrical appliance. The cord retaining device is in the form of a body which may 'form the base of the electrical appliance. The body is provided with a continuous groove which is adapted to receive one or more loops of the power cord. A sleeve is slidably mounted on the cord and is adapted to frictionally engage the groove to retain the excess cord looped into the groove Within the groove.

In the drawing, my cord retaining device is shown in conjunction with an electrical ash tray which has been described in detail in my Patent No. 2,788,085.

The ash tray consists of an upstanding circular housing 11 mounted on a circular member or body 12 which forms the base for the ash tray. The body shown in eludes integral depending legs 13. A mounting strip 16 is fixed to the housing 11 near the upper portion thereof by angles 17 and bolts 18. A traly-like member 19 having handles 21 is carried by the mounting strip 16. A filter 22 is mounted within the tray-like member 19 and consists of treated spun glass 23 which is held in position by an upper screen-like member 24 and a lower screenlike member 26. A felt strip 27 provides a seal between the tray-like member 19 and the housing 11.

An ash receiving receptacle 28 is carried by the handles 21. An ash tray 29 is mounted on top of the housing over the ash receiving receptacle 28. The ash tray is provided with raised portions 31 for receiving cigarettes and the like to prevent them from rolling off. The ash tray 29 is also provided with a concave portion 32 and 2,918,228 Patented Dec. 22-, 1959 2 v is formed with a hole 33 to permit ashes to drop into the receptacle 28. The ash tray, in addition, is formed with a plurality of side vents 34 to permit Withdrawal of the smoke. V

A motor 36 is carried by the mounting strip 16 and is connected to a power cord 37 through an on-ofi switch 38. A'fan 39 is driven by'the motor and serves to draw air downwardly through the housing 11. A lamp42 is connected in parallel with the circuit for energizing the motor to give a "visual indication through the port-43in the housing when the motor is running. i

The body 12 is in the form of an annular ring-like member and is provided with a central opening 46. A conical deflecting member 47 is fixed within the central opening 46 and serves to deflect the air passing downwardly through the housing 11 through side vents 48 between the legs 13.

Side handles 51 are provided on the ash tray for carrying it from one place to another. Rubber pads 52 have been placed on the bottom of the legs to prevent the legs from damaging the floors and the like.

The ash tray hereinbefore described is typical of an electrical appliance with which my cord retaining device may be utilized. As is shown in the drawing, my cord retaining device is utilized for storing the excess power cord 37. The body 12 which in this case forms the base for the ash tray is formed with a continuous annular groove 54 which is of a width slightly greater than the diameter of the power cord and of a depth so that the groove is adapted to receive several loops of the power cord 37. For example, as shown in the drawing, the groove has received about three and one-half loops of the power cord 37. A deformable sleeve 56 is slidably mounted on the power cord 37 for movement along the length of the cord. The diameter of the sleeve 56 is slightly greater than the width of the groove 54 so that it will frictionally engage the upper and lower edges of the groove 54 when it is pressed into the groove. The sleeve 56 should not be formed of a material which is too resilient otherwise it will not suitably retain the cord within the groove as hereinafter described.

It will be noted that the power cord 37 passes from the cord retaining device to the electrical appliance through an opening 57 provided in the body 12.

Operation of the cord retaining device may now be briefly described as follows: Let it be assumed that the power cord 37 has been connected to the nearest electrical outlet and that the electrical appliance such as the ash tray has been placed so that there is a considerable surplus of power cord. To store the excess power cord, the appliance is lifted and the power cord wrapped into the groove 54 or if desired, the appliance is rotated to rotate the body 12 to cause the power cord to be wrapped into the groove 54. As soon as all the excess power cord has been wrapped into the groove, the sleeve 56 is slid along the length of the cord until it is adjacent the annular groove 54. The sleeve 56 is then pressed into the annular groove to retain the excess power cord which has been'wrapped into the groove in place. When it is desired to lengthen the cord, it is merely necessary to pull the sleeve 56 from the groove 54.

If desired, instead of rotating the housing 11 to wrap the cord on the cord retaining device, the excess cord may be first wound into the groove 54 before connecting the cord to the electrical outlet.

It is apparent from the foregoing that I have provided novel means for housing excess power cord for use on electrical appliances. It is also readily apparent that my cord retaining device is useful for many different types of electrical appliances such as pedestal lamps, electric heaters, toasters and the like.

I claim: In a cord retaining device for an electrical appliance, a body adapted to be mounted on the lower portion of said appliance and to form a portion of the base of said appliance, a power cord adapted to be connected to said electrical'appliance, the body being formed with a continuous outwardly facing groove in the outer periphery thereof, the body also being formed with an opening through the bottom of said groove and through which the power cord extends to the appliance, the groove having a width slightly greater than the width of said power cord and having a depth whereby the groove is adapted to receive a plurality of loops of said power cord, and aresiliently deformable sleeve slidably mounted on said cord for movement along the length of the cord, said sleeve having a diameter slightly greater than the width of said groove whereby when the excess power cord has been wound into said groove said sleeve may be slid along the length of the cord to a position adjacent said groove and then pushed into said groove to wedge therein and resiliently retain the excess power cord wound into said groove within said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

